❝She builds other's up because she knows what it's like to be torn down❞
•

I barely got any sleep last night. I was stressing, like always. I didn't even stay until the end of the party because I was so mad. Trusting Tyler was my first mistake, being in any relationship with him was my second. I made many difficult, stupid, risky life choices but those are basically the most recent.

I turn on my TV, changing to the news. "…Daily reporter and weekend anchor Andie Star was discovered dead…" Damon's girlfriend?

I turn off the TV when my phone rang. I pick it up from my bed to see Elena was calling.

"Hey, what's up?"

"Hey, Ro, do you mind coming with me to Alaric's?" Elena asked me.

"Yeah, sure. What's wrong?" I questioned and I hear her sigh.

"Damon won't give me answers about Stefan so Alaric is my only choice." She responded.

"Okay. Meet you there?"

"Yeah. Bye." I hung up and got into the shower. I'm glad I'm still included in stuff. I know I just disappeared into my cave and didn't come out until now with no explanation why, but I felt like I was dealing with too much. Jeremy died, and came back; and Damon was on the brink of dying, so Elena's last resort was to kiss him. Sometimes I wish I was still in the back of the library reading my books, not daring to look at anyone, or at least talk to them. That's when everything was normal, even though I was a loser. At least I felt safe.

After I take my shower, I really didn't feel like dressing up, so I put on black jeans with a navy blue shirt, a dark blue flannel on top, and black converse. Casual.

I didn't live far from Ric's apartment, so I walked. I knew Elena might have been to distracted to realize I left the party or even take notice that I came. I hope so, because I was really looking forward to the cake.

Soon enough, I made it to Alaric's and already see Elena knocking. I mutter a hi and she smiled, continuously knocking. After a few moments, I hear feet shuffling towards the door. Alaric opens the door, shirtless and pants unbuckled.

"Hi." She said, and I clear my throat pointing him to his pants.

"You're, uh… not who I expected." Alaric stuttered, zipping up his pants.

"I need you to tell us what you know about Stefan and Tennessee." Elena demanded.

"Did you guys miss the part where I check out of all of this?" Alaric said, walking away from the door, causing Elena and I to go in.

"Come on, Ric. Whatever Damon knows, you know." Elena groaned.

"Ask Damon." He said simply, and I rolled my eyes.

"Yeah, but Damon's not exactly in the mood to help right now." I stepped in and Elena nodded.

"For good reason. Because it's not safe for you guys. Stefan's off the rails." Alaric retorted, as always.

"Yeah, but he's still holding onto his humanity, which means he can still be saved." Elena piped up. I would have tried to help Elena over the summer to find Stefan especially since I knew Damon and her wouldn't be on good agreements, but I turned away from everything. Over a boy.

Well, not really. Mostly because I couldn't handle it all; the deaths. I was paranoid for weeks, dreaming of dead people and all of my friends dying, it's not pleasant. Trust me.

"And why do you have to be the one to save him?" He asked her.

"Because she loves him, duh!" I step in, but shut up when they give me a stern look.

"Because I'm not the kind of person who checks out, " Elena explained, referring to him, "Look, he would never give up on me. I'm not gonna give up on him." She said, "Tell me what you know, Ric. Please."

Ric huffed, glancing up at us, "They been tracking werewolves, he and Klaus. All over the eastern seaboard. We thought we had 'em just outside of Memphis." He told her.

"Werewolves? Why would Klaus want to track werewolves?" I asked generally.

"I'm not sure." Alaric sighed, running his hand through his hair.

"What if Tyler knows something about it." Elena suggested. I groan silently, replaying the gory details of last night. "He probably knows where those werewolves are."

"Probably." I agreed. I had to at least pretend that him and I are still friends.

"We should go and ask him." Elena said, and I grimace. Dammit. Didn't even give it two days before meeting him again. I really have to man up.

•
•

"A lot of us like to keep to ourselves for the full moon, chain ourselves up. But there are some werewolves that like to gather up where they don't have to do that, where they can enjoy." Tyler explained to Elena and I as Alaric sat at the bar, sipping n his drink. I wish I had one for the awkward encounter.

"What kind of places?" I asked him, nonchalantly. He does a double take towards my direction, before answering. I guess realizing how quiet I've been.

"Mountains, state parks, deserts, that kind of stuff." He stuttered. He gave me a small smile, but my face remained emotionless.

"Anywhere in Tennessee?" I questioned.

"Yeah. Here. Give me your phone. I'll try to pull up a map." He said, with his hand out. I hesitantly gave him my phone, with a sigh. Trust him, Ro, is what my gut tells me, but my heart screams, oh the pain! It's too much! Stop, my feelings!

"Thanks for this. I know it's asking a lot." Elena thanked.

"As Caroline likes to remind me, Stefan's in this mess because I bit Damon. I figure I owe you one. Have you talked to her today?" He asked, and I bit my lip, holding a scoff.

"No. Why?" Elena wondered.

"Just curious. Here." He stated, handing my back my phone. I snatched it back and tuck it in my pocket, about to follow Elena as she made her way to Alaric, but Tyler sat in my booth, blocking me from leaving. "I'm so sorry." He apologized, genuinely.

"A little two months late." I roll my eyes.

"It just kind of happened, Ro. I don't know what else I can say to you, than sorry." He sighed.

"You can leave me alone. Just stop. Our relationship was going to end anyways. It was inevitable." I huffed out. "We are polar opposites and I knew that from the beginning. I don't know how you didn't."

"Because I thought otherwise." He whispered to me and my heart ached. I feel guilty, but I'm not sure why. Is it because I didn't tell him why? Did I hurt him?

Before I thought farther into my thoughts, I realized he hurt me. I don't know how I didn't see this coming.

"Bye, Tyler." He gets out the booth and I walked to the guys, joining in on their convo, not bothering to look back at Tyler.

"We'll be out of there before the full moon. If you don't come with me, I'm going to go with Rowan." Elena said, grabbing my arm, getting off the stool, but Ric shot a glare and she smiled. "What? You're the one who told me that I could handle things on my own now."

"Yeah, I meant like frozen dinners and SATs. Alright, fine. Let's just… let's just go-"

"Elena's driving." I piped up. She only glared at me and I smirk, "Ric's intoxicated."

"Fine." She said, and we walked towards his car.

•
•

We all packed bag, prepared for the hike.

"In a couple, the full moon's gonna rise just above that ridge. If Tyler's right, that's where the pack will be." Alaric said as we hiked through the mountain.

"You were a boy scout, weren't you? A boy scout, slash vampire slayer." I teased.

"Slash whiskey-drinking all-around lost cause." He said, putting down his bag, opening it, revealing a bunch of weapons.

"Wow. You came stocked." Elena said in awe.

"Well, we aren't exactly birdwatching. Here." He said, handing me and Elena grenades.

"Vervain grenade?" Elena wondered as I stared intently at the grenade.

"Wolfsbane." I answered, putting it in my bag.

"Well, since we're exchanging gifts…" She trailed off, holding out John's ring.

"That's John Gilbert's ring." Ric said.

"It was yours once. Go ahead, take it. It'll protect you from whatever supernatural danger we're about to get ourselves into." She protested. Everyone demanded that I should get something to protect myself when I encountered stuff like this, but I told them I can take care of myself. They didn't believe me, however, so they just stuck me with a bracelet laced in vervain and some protection spell, that I'm not supposed to know.

"He gave it to you."

"Yeah, but I'm a doppelganger. It's not gonna work on me and Rowan has a bracelet to protect her." I nodded immediately at Elena's statement, "He left it for if I ever have kids."

"Yeah, well, then why don't you save it for the future generation of stubborn, relentless baby Gilberts?" Ric joked.

"Okay. How about you borrow it until after we survive this? We'll feel bad of we got you killed before happy hour." I chuckle and so did they before he took it. Elena smiled and walk towards the cliff.

"I don't see why you think you're a lost cause." Elena sighed and within seconds she's pushed into the water. I quickly took out the ring daggers, Alaric gave awhile back, and held them close to me.

I sigh and put them down to my sides when I see it's only Damon. Elena splashes around the water, before seeing Damon. "Damon! How are you even here?"

"Thanks for the tip, brother." Damon said to Ric, ignoring Elena.

"You sold us out?" I asked Alaric, glaring his way as I tied my hair up into a ponytail.

"Think I'd take you guys to as mountain range of werewolves on a full moon without backup?" Ric asked rhetorically.

"Hey! I'm here." I whined and Damon rolled his eyes.

"A girl who only has daggers and a bracelet to protect herself, is what you call backup?" He retorted and I glare, staying quiet. Damon turned his back to me and sees Elena still in the water, "Get out the water, Elena."

"If I get out of here, you're gonna make us go home." She said, stating the obvious. It's as if we like to bicker back and forth like children.

"Yes, because I'm not an idiot like you two." Damon said referring to me and Elena.

"Right now, all of you are acting like idiots." Alaric stated.

"You gave up on him Damon." Elena huffed, crossing her arms over her chest.

"I didn't give up on him, Elena. I faced reality. Now get out the water." Damon repeated, obviously tired of arguing with her.

"No." She fought back.

"What's your big plan, Elena? Huh? You gonna walk into a campsite full of werewolves, roast a marshmallow, and wait for Stefan to stop by?" He asked, joining her in the water. They continued to bicker endlessly, that I ended up spacing out, and looking at the hills ahead, until I heard Damon mutter, "Fine."

Elena and Damon got out the water, and Elena put her book bag on despite being wet. We walked ahead of the guys, my head aching as we walked up the hill. "You good?" She asked me, suddenly.

"Yeah, why?" I responded, furrowing my eyebrows, trying the shake off the pounding in my head.

"Well, last night I heard you bailed my party and you left your car." Elena looked at me, hoping for an explanation and I sighed.

"Didn't feel well." I lied, easily.

"Oh. Okay." Was all she said and I'm grateful. Not in for a lecture at the moment.

"How you doing?" Damon asked us, mostly towards Elena. She rolled her eyes, not answering, so I did.

"We're fine." I faked smiled.

"You know, I could help you." He said to Elena, ignoring my statement.

"No, thanks." Elena huffed.

"I would love that really." I joined, but I'm once again ignored.

"Just one little fwoosh." Damon tried to persuade.

"Yeah, with my luck, you'd drop me." Elena retorted.

"I'm up for the offer. Just saying." I groaned as he paid no attention to me.

"What are you guys, twelve?" Ric spoke up and I chuckle.

"Nine, if you ask me." I smirked.

"Let's just go." Damon growled and I giggle, only to hear faint howling not far.

"Did you guys hear that?" I asked suddenly, stopping in my tracks. Damon listened, but furrowed his eyebrows.

"I don't hear anything, Fell." He smirked as he used my last name, getting me to turn my attention away from the noise I heard.

"Don't call me that again."

"Whatever." He shrugged and I smiled, "Fell."
•
•

"We got about a mile left." Alaric stated to us.

"The sun's about to set." Damon informed us and I roll my eyes.

"We can see that Damon. None of us are blind." I shot back.

"I'm just saying." He said.

"The moon doesn't reach it's apex for a while. We have time." Elena told him. Not too far, we hear twigs snapping as if someone was running. Soon a man comes out of hiding, and Alaric holds up his crossbow.

"Stay where you are." Alaric commanded.

"Vampire." The man said, looking at Damon. Damon is attacked by him and thrown against the tree. The guy tried biting him, so Alaric shot him with an arrow in the back. That had no affect, so I took out my Wolfsbane grenade.

"Damon." I called out, tossing him the grenade. He caught it, blowing it up in the guys face, making the guy fall to the ground crying in pain. Damon kicked him harshly, knocking him unconscious, "Let me guess; hybrid."

"Yup. So I'm assuming they're close." I stepped in, referring to Stefan and Klaus. "Let's tie him up." I said and Damon nodded, picking the man up and leaning him against the tree he was put up against. We grabbed the ropes from Alaric's bag and drenched them in wolfsbane and vervain.

"These ropes aren't gonna hold him much longer." Damon said as we tied the guy up. "What else do we have?"

"Ric, here. Take these." Elena said, coated the topes in vervain. Stupidly, Damon grabbed the rope instead and hissed in pain, quickly retracting his hand. "I said Ric." Elena scoffed and he glared. Ric took it and wrapped it around the guy.

"That's the last of the vervain." Alaric grunted as I looked around us.

"We don't have enough stuff to hold him." I pointed out. "And I don't think we'll make it before the full moon sets in." I pulled out my phone checking the time, only to see a text from Tyler. I rolled my eyes, not wanting to deal with him anymore. I really needed to move on since it's obvious that he has. I shudder at the thought when I saw the guy shifting. "Why is he turning? It's not even the full moon yet. It's still daylight."

"Tell him that." Alaric said, causing me to back away further. The guy starting yelling out in pain, his bones snapping like twigs.

Damon held the man against the tree, trying to keep him down. "There won't be werewolves until the full moon." Elena told Damon.

"Those ropes won't hold." The guy tried to bite Damon, his fangs on full display.

"Damon, we got to get out of here." I warned, and Elena agreed.

"We have to get out of these mountains now." Elena said. "Damon now." She shoved him, before he backed away and we ran of into the woods.

•
•

It became dark instantly and it was getting harder for me to see where everyone was. I continued to walk though, only to hear the howling again, causing me to trip, hurting myself in the process. The howling got louder and more like it was a whole pack, making me cover my ears. It was like a screeching noise more than a howl.

When the noise stopped suddenly, I removed my hands from my ears, "Guys?" I called out, but all I got in return was silence after a while. My ears rang as I searched my surroundings, but don't see them anywhere or hear them. "Anyone?"

I groaned loudly, angry at myself for losing sight of them. I looked down at my ankle and saw I was bleeding. I curse to myself, before deciding to continue walking. This was a terrible time for me to get lost; full moon and a pack of werewolves who are probably shifting right now.

I push the branches out of the way as I limp to wherever I was going. I don't remember where they went, and I can't track by scent, so I'm just walking.

The howling came back and it felt like it was coming from ahead of the direction I was going, so I kept walking. It was weird because I didn't remember coming this way. It felt different, but familiar. I don't know how, but soon I ended up at the top of the mountain where all the werewolves where. I look around and see bodies on the ground, lifeless; dead. I gasp and cover my mouth at the sight, brink of tears.

I don't even remember how I walked this way. It's almost like I was lead here by instinct. But how? The howling?

I cut my thoughts short when Klaus appeared, walking around the area with dried blood dripping from his chin. He looked at the bodies, disappointed look on his face which almost made me feel sympathetic.

Almost.

I shake my head and decide to turn back around and run, but I just walked or limped. I couldn't feel sympathetic for a guy who's put everyone's life through hell this year. He may be cute, but he's basically the devil in disguise.

I soon see a figure walking the same trail as me. "Damon?" He turned around and his face softened.

"Where the hell were you? Are you okay?" He asked and I shrugged.

"Dealt with worse." I mumbled, limping to him. We walked in silence towards the car, both looking lost for words. I just basically saw a whole pack, dead, with Klaus standing over them.

We make it to the car and Elena instantly jumped out running to Damon, while Alaric engulfed me in a hug. "You okay?" He asked and I nodded.

"Bleeding, but alive." I chuckled softly.

"Don't scare me like that, Rowan." He warned. He treats me as if I'm his daughter along with Elena and Jeremy. I nodded at his words before he pushed me into the backseat of the car.

"Hey Ric, have you happened to see where I parked my car?" Damon asked while he pushed Elena towards the car also. He got in also before Ric drove us back home.

Such a great outting.

•
•

I sat on my bathroom toilet, cleaning my cut. There was a light tap on my door, making me shoot my head up.

"Come in." I said and it opened, revealing Matt. "Hey." I smiled.

"Hey." He returned the smile before looking at wound. "What happened there?" He pointed at it, eyebrow raised.

"My clumsiness happened." I grunted with a half chuckle. He shook his head before leaning down and helping me clean it. He took out a cleaning pad, from the first-aid kit that sat on the sink, and I hissed when it made contact with my skin.

"You just can't stay out of trouble, can't you Ro?" He laughed dryly.

"Neither can you." I retorted. "And either way, it wasn't our choice to be involved."

"Sadly." He sighed as he wrapped my cut.

"Sadly."

∞

I'm trying to update my other stories, and that includes this so yay!

I know this chapter terrible, but please spare my feelings

And to clear this up: I don't own any of this, probably Rowan, but that's it. All rights go to L.J Smith, etc.